UPDATE: St Leonards shop fire was accidental

The scene in central St Leonards this afternoon. Picture by Paul Ashton

Published:17:06Tuesday 19 July 2016

An investigation into a shop fire in St Leonards this afternoon (Tuesday, July 19) is now complete and the cause was found to be an accidental electrical fire in a fridge.

At the height of the fire at the Spar shop in King’s Road three crews, wearing breathing apparatus, were sent into the building, which consisted of four floors, comprising of the shop on the ground floor with flats above.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) said all residents were safely evacuated and one woman, believed to be in her 60s, was treated by paramedics after breathing in smoke.

Both properties either side of the shop were searched and evacuated by crews.

Incident Commander Dan Channon praised the hard work of crews in the searing heat.

He said: “Initial breathing apparatus crews did a great job containing the fire with 1-in-7 foam, which reduced fire spread.

“The crews did a fantastic job in very arduous hot conditions and we ensured that firefighters were well-rested and hydrated after tackling the fire inside the building.”